• The following words and phrases, wherever they appear in this Regulation, shall have the meanings set forth opposite each of them, unless the context otherwise requires:

  • Law: The Tourism Law.
  • Regulation: The Travel and Tourism Services Regulation.
  • Ministry: The Ministry of Tourism.
  • Minister: The Minister of Tourism.
  • Travel and Tourism Services: Arranging, organizing, and providing services in the field of tourism, including trips and tourism programs; the sale and marketing of travel tickets by licensed companies; providing visa issuance services or other travel-related services; arranging and reserving tourism activity services or hospitality facilities; and the like.
  • License: A document issued by the Ministry enabling the licensee to engage in the activity of travel and tourism services pursuant to the Law and the Regulation.
  • Licensee: Any legal entity holding a license from the Ministry pursuant to the Law and the Regulation.
  • Travel and Tourism Services Facility: The place through which the licensee conducts the activity of travel and tourism services, whether a building, website, or the equivalent thereof.
  • Main Facility: The travel and tourism services facility through which the affiliated sub-facility of the licensee is managed and organized.
  • Sub-Facility: The travel and tourism services facility that is administratively and organizationally affiliated with the main facility.
  • Tourist Hospitality Facility: Any place that provides accommodation services to a tourist in return for a fee, whether operating permanently or temporarily.
  • Private Tourist Hospitality Facility: A furnished, independent real estate unit owned by an individual and authorized by the Ministry, which provides daily accommodation services to a tourist in return for a fee.
  • Tourist Guidance: The practice of guiding tourists at the tourist destination and elsewhere.
  • Tourist Destination: Any geographical area or site where tourism activities are conducted or targeted, or which contains tourism assets, as determined pursuant to Article (Six) of the Law.
  • Tourism Program: A set of travel and tourism services prepared and/or implemented during one or more trips by a travel and tourism services provider in return for a fee, during a specified period of time.
  • Tourist: A natural person who lawfully stays overnight for tourism purposes for a period of not less than one night outside his or her usual place of residence for tourism purposes, or benefits from one or more tourism, complementary, or specialized activity services.
  • Booking Document: The contract entered into by the licensee with the service applicant for the provision of one or more of the services for which the licensee is licensed.
  • Official Address: The address registered in the license, the national address, or the contact details of the activity practitioner, of various types, obtained by the Ministry.

The Regulation sets out the provisions governing the obtaining of the License and the requirements for engaging in travel and tourism services activities, as well as the requirements and procedures thereof and the ongoing obligations of the Licensee.

It is not permissible to conduct travel and tourism services activities without obtaining the License, after its expiry or cancellation, during the period of suspension of the License, upon ceasing to satisfy any of the License requirements set out in Article (Fifth) of the Regulation, or during the period of closure of a travel and tourism services facility.

• The categories for licensing travel and tourism activities shall be as follows:

  • 1‏- Travel and Tourism Agency category, which allows the licensee to provide one or more of the following services:

    • A- Marketing and/or selling land, sea, or air travel tickets, and the services related thereto.
    • B- Marketing and/or selling accommodation reservations at tourism hospitality facilities and private tourism hospitality facilities.
    • C- Marketing and/or selling tourism programs within and outside the Kingdom.
    • D- Providing tourism consultancy services.
    • E- Arranging tour guide services.
    • F- Arranging and/or selling insurance services for tourists.
    • G- Arranging visa issuance services for travel outside the Kingdom.
    • H- Arranging international driving licence issuance services and equivalent services.

  • 2‏- General Travel and Tourism Services category, which allows the licensee to provide one or more of the following services:

    • A- All services referred to in the category set out in Paragraph (1) of this Article.
    • B- Preparing tourism programs within and outside the Kingdom.
    • C- Implementing tourism programs within the Kingdom.
    • D- Arranging visa issuance services for visitors wishing to come to the Kingdom, in accordance with the regulations required for this purpose.
    • E- Arranging transportation, reception, and farewell services.
    • F- Arranging reservation and visitation services for events, museums, restaurants, and others.
    • G- Arranging concierge services for tourists related to travel and tourism.
    • H- Arranging catering services and the provision of food and beverages in tourism programs.

  • I- Arranging rented transportation services (land, sea, and air), of various sizes and seating capacities, in coordination with providers of transportation means services.

• The following shall be provided when applying for the License:

  • 1‏- A valid Commercial Register that includes the required travel and tourism services activity category among the activities listed in the Commercial Register.
  • 2‏- A valid License from the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, or the competent authority, as applicable, and notarization of the website or equivalent, if any, by the Saudi Center for Competitiveness and Business. Notarization shall suffice for those providing the service electronically only.
  • 3‏- A financial guarantee, a valid insurance policy, or both, in accordance with Article (Thirteen) of the Regulation.
  • The applicant shall complete the form containing the official details of the License applicant, the details of the travel and tourism services facility, and the details of the person representing the License applicant in dealings with the Ministry, if any.

The Ministry shall issue the License after the License applicant has fulfilled the requirements set out in Article (Five) of the Regulation and paid the financial consideration in accordance with the Financial Consideration Schedule attached to this Regulation. If the Claim is rejected, the Decision shall state the reasons therefor, and the License applicant shall be notified thereof.

1‏- The license must contain its date of issuance and expiry, its category, the details of the licensee, and any other data specified by the Ministry.

2‏- The license shall be issued on an annual basis, and the validity period of the license shall not exceed (5) years, renewable in accordance with the provisions of the Regulation.